Central City Opera Podcast

Week Three - Baby Doe Meets Tosca - Sharing the Stage

Tom Getty has been a member of the music staff at Central City Opera for twenty-two consecutive seasons. He's one of the Assistant Conductors and also serves as the Surtitlist for the productions in the Opera House. And as everyone who knows Tom will tell you, he's also one of the most interesting people you'll ever have the pleasure of knowing. On this episode, Tom describes his roles at Central City Opera, the art of creating and operating supertitles successfully, what it's like playing for the movement classes for the Artists Training Program - including how he works in whatever tune is running through his mind at the moment - his musically rich childhood in New Jersey, how he got hooked on opera, and advice for young singers.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org. 
Read more at http://ccopodcast.libsyn.com/#dfMEXeRdGwE8DcWM.99

Week Three - Baby Doe Meets Tosca - Sharing the Stage

Mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer is a veteran of the operatic stage, enjoying a career that spans over 30 years performing at major companies around the world. She's here at Central City Opera this summer performing the role of Augusta Tabor in The Ballad of Baby Doe. On this episode, Susanne discusses her role in Baby Doe, what it's like performing Augusta in Central City, how she got into singing, advice for young singers, her role as guest writer for the Huffington Post, and much more.

Read Susanne's Huffington Post article about Central City, Opera at 8500 Feet.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org.

Week Three - Baby Doe Meets Tosca - Sharing the Stage

On this episode, we hear from bass-baritone Donald Hartmann. Donald is performing two roles this summer, the Sacristan in Tosca and William Jennings Bryan in The Ballad of Baby Doe. He describes these two roles, plus the difference between performing a role he has done dozens of times versus a brand-new role, how Leontyne Price inspired him to become a singer and how he literally sold his car to realize his dream, and much more.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org. 

Week Three - Baby Doe Meets Tosca - Sharing the Stage

You’ll hear my friend and local favorite, mezzo-soprano Sarah Barber, on this episode. She is singing the role of Mama McCourt in The Ballad of Baby Doe this summer. Sarah describes this small but important role and the challenges and fun in playing a comprimario role, her experience in the Bonfils-Stanton Artists Training Program many years ago and what it’s like being a principal artist now, what she loves about this particular production of Baby Doe, how being a mom in real life helps her connect to her maternal character she’s playing, and the importance of singing for young audiences.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org.

Week Two - Another Opening, Another Show!

You'll hear from my friend, baritone Michael Mayes, on this episode. In early June, I spoke with him over coffee in his living room in Lyons, Colorado. Mike shares his thoughts on his role as Baron Scarpia in Tosca, life as an opera singer on the road, his perspective on new opera - including a recent exciting project with one of his heroes and someone familiar to Central City Opera audiences, baritone Robert Orth. Mike also shares his opinion on how opera in general can thrive, and the sense of family that is present at Central City Opera.

Have questions or want to give us feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or Stitcher to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org.

Week Two - Another Opening, Another Show!

On this episode, you'll hear from the stage director of Central City Opera's Tosca, Joachim Schamberger. He shares his thoughts on his concept and design of this summer's Tosca, the ah-ha moments he has on a daily basis in rehearsal, what he loves about directing, where he's from and how he got into his field, the questions he hopes people will ask themselves after a performance, and much more.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org.

Week Two - Another Opening, Another Show!

Alexandra Loutsion is Central City Opera's Floria Tosca this summer in Puccini's Tosca. On this episode, she shares her thoughts on her role and the rehearsal process, what she loves about singing Puccini's music, where she's from and how she got into singing at a young age, her thoughts on kids singing opera, the kinds of roles she's singing nowadays, what life is like for an opera singer on the road, what makes Central City so special to her, and why you should come see Tosca this summer.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org. 

Week Two - Another Opening, Another Show!

Timothy Myers is the conductor of the 60th anniversary production of The Ballad of Baby Doe at Central City Opera. He was last in Central City conducting Carmen in 2011. On this episode, Tim describes the music of Baby Doe and how he prepares a score, what he loves about the rehearsal process and Central City in particular, the turning points that shaped his career as a conductor - including being an assistant conductor here in 2009 - and what he's excited about for this production of The Ballad of Baby Doe. 

Sidenote: to answer the question in this episode, "how many times has Central City produced The Ballad of Baby Doe," the answer is nine times. The company produced it in 1956, 1959, 1966, 1976, 1981, 1988, 1996, 2006, and 2016.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org. 

Week One - The Central City Opera Summer Begins

Ken Cazan is the stage director of this summer's The Ballad of Baby Doe, and he's also someone who returns to Central City summer after summer to direct really fantastic productions. On this episode, Ken talks about his concept of Central City's most famous commissioned opera, how he got started in show business, what excites him about working with this cast and the young artists, and what makes Central City Opera so special to him.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org. 

Week One - The Central City Opera Summer Begins

This episode features soprano Anna Christy, who is singing the role of Elizabeth "Baby Doe" Tabor in the production of The Ballad of Baby Doe this summer. She shares her thoughts about the role, how she got started in opera, what kind of changes motherhood has brought to her life and singing, and what makes Central City Opera so special to her.

Have questions or want to give us feedback? Email us at [email protected].

For more insider information on the shows and how to buy tickets, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org.